Category: News

LONG serving Fianna Fáíl councillor Peter Considine was last night elected Mayor of Ennis.

It is the seventh time Cllr Considine has held the office having last been elected mayor in 2008.

He beat off competition from Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn at the council’s AGM. He replaces outgoing Mayor, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind), who held the chain of office for the past 12 months. Cllr Considine was proposed as mayor by Cllr Frankie Neylon and seconded by Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind).

Cllr Flynn was proposed by Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) and seconded by Cllr Mary Howard (FG).

Councillors Neylon, Considine Brennan, Brian Meaney (GP) and Guilfoyle voted for Cllr Considine.

Councillors O’Shea, Howard, Flynn and Mary Coote Ryan (FG) voted for Cllr Flynn.

Cllr Considine urged members to be conscious of economic circumstances of the council. He added, “Local authorities don’t escape the austerities that are around.”

He added, “I would urge all councillors to temper their expectations with the resources of the council in mind.”

However he said progress could be expected on certain projects including the completion of the Inner Relief Road and the development of new facilities for Tim Smythe Park.

On the future of local government, Cllr Considine said, “We would expect rather than hope that Ennis Town Council would be left to administer services in Ennis. It would be shocking if Ennis were left as a sub-committee of Clare County Council.” Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) was elected as Deputy Mayor ahead of Cllr Mary Howard (FG), Cllr Brennan was proposed by Cllr Guilfoyle while Cllr Howard was proposed by Cllr O’Shea.

Prior to the election of the deputy mayor, Cllr Meaney said he had not been asked to vote for Cllr Howard. He urged those councillors supporting her to do a little “groundwork” before hand. Cllr Flynn said he had competed for mayor on nine different occasions and never once canvassed councillors for votes. He said he would not be competing next year due to work commitments.

Cllr O’Shea was returned as Chairman of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee (JPC). Tributes were also paid to outgoing mayor, Cllr Guilfoyle.

ALMOST 100 acres of council land adjacent to Ballyalla Lake, opposite Drumcliffe graveyard, is to go under the hammer on Friday.

The sale of the old dog pound site is dependent on numerous factors, not least the wishes of the council members once the deal is done.

Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Services Michael McNamara told last night’s meeting of Clare County Council that the land may not even sell if it does not reach the sale reserve. Council members can also veto the sale going through, as it must return to them for verification once the deal is done.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) warned that he and his Ennis colleagues would campaign to prevent the sale if a periphery around the lake was not retained in public ownership.

“I am very against the sale of any land adjoining any lake. You will not have my support or Ennis Town Council colleagues’ support to sell it and we will vigorously canvas the councillors here to reject it,” he said.

“I think it is clear that the protection of the area around the lake is important to note or it won’t be supported when it comes back here (council chamber),” said Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF).

Previously in the meeting, Mr McNamara confirmed that some of the land was adjacent to the lake. He added that the council was retaining a substantial amount of land at the opposite side of the lake.

The discussion on the sale of the land followed a joint motion pro- posed by councillors Johnny Flynn (FG), Tony Mulqueen (FG) and Pat Daly (FF) who suggested that any proceeds from the sale of the 96 acres at Drumcliffe would be ringfensed for the general Ennis area for the provision of sport and community facilities.

County Manager Tom Coughlan told the members that any money received would have to be put into the general council fund and used for the entire county.

He said the councillors had prioritised the building of sports facilities in Killaloe and Kilrush.

“You prioritised that as Ennis has Lee Road, that East and West Clare need similar.”

Clare County Council has already allocated € 300,000 to Ennis Town Council for the all weather pitch at Lee’s Road.

“Proceeds from sales over recent years have been used to fund the provision of assets such as the area depots at Shannon, Kirush, Bodyke and also at the area offices provided at Scrariff and Ennistymon,” said Mr McNamara.

THE Kiawah Resort Associates group remains “fully committed” to its exclusive five-star Doonbeg golf course resort, despite fears this week that legal action in America could spark a fire-sale of its assets.

The golf course, which was designed by two-time British Open winner Greg Norman and officially opened in 2002, is part of an overall development built at a cost of nearly € 30 million by the South Carolinabased Kiawah Resort Associates group.

However, the company’s minority shareholders have filed a lawsuit claiming that Charles ‘Buddy’ Darby – the majority owner of the firm – has been “siphoning off” and “misappropriating” income and assets for the benefit of himself and his family.

The minority owners – who include members of Mr Darby’s extended family – want a Carolina court to order that both Doonbeg and a resort on the paradise Caribbean island of St Kitts be sold off and the proceeds distributed amongst all the beneficial owners.

In a lengthy complaint just filed in a Charleston court, minority owners of Kiawah Resort Associates have made a number of allegations.

They claim Mr Darby has engaged in a “systematic, unremitting course of conduct” over a number of years to exclude minority partners from the business and affairs of the Kiawah operation.

They say they’ve been denied access to corporate information and that Mr Darby has attempted to “freeze them out”.

Mr Darby, court documents say, secured majority control of the Kiawah business in 1997. The minority partners allege that he has effectively operated the business as his own.

“There is no board of directors to oversee Buddy Darby’s total dominion” of the Kiawah business, they’ve told the court. They say he has also “unilaterally directed profits” from Kiawah businesses to himself and other businesses that have links to his own immediate family.

“Personally, I am disappointed that this action has been taken,” said Mr Darby.

“I would have hoped that the matters could have been resolved out of court and that is still my wish.”

Mr Darby said that the Kiawah group remains “fully committed” to Doonbeg and its “continuing success now and in the future”.

The Kiwah group has accumulated losses of € 48 million, but the company has a target of turning a profit at the Doonbeg resort by 2014.

In 2008, the group valued the Doonbeg links at € 17 million and buildings at € 14 million. Th e e a rly o u t lo o k fo r n e xt we e k is fo r m o re c lo u d s, o c c a sio n a l ra in a n d n o re a l su n n y d a ys ye t .

CLARE TD Michael McNamara has been elected to Labour’s Executive Board, copperfastening his position within the party.

The East Clare man joined the party shortly before the 2011 General Election, and was still considered somewhat of a new kid on the block by some of the longer serving members. However, last week he was elected by the parliamentary party to the national board.

Deputy McNamara will be only one of two TDs to serve the party at this level but he will not be the only Clare man, as Seamus Ryan is also a member of the Executive Board.

“It’s always a great honour to be chosen by one’s peers to represent them, whether they be the citizens of Clare or one’s colleagues in the Parliamentary party. I was delighted to be proposed by Senator Ivana Bacik and seconded by Arthur Spring TD,” said Deputy McNamara.

He fought off competition from Dublin’s Kevin Humphreys TD for the position in an election among the parliamentary party members.

The Clare TD noted that the vote was taken on the day that a controversial report, which suggested that a high proportion of Irish people with young children would be better off on the dole than in employment, was being discussed.

“To me, this is the one of the major issues we have to resolve. Many of our voters who are low-paid workers are stretched to their limit and ques- tion why they are working. There are others, who I met canvassing for last year’s elections and the referendum, who are on the dole and want to work. There are a small few who are on the dole and working.”

He said he now looks forward to getting involved in the party’s policy sub committee.

A MAN who a Judge said “created mayhem” in a public house in Quin has received a six-month prison sentence.

Kalem Wilkie (23) with an address at 126 Kilnasoolagh Park, Newmarket on Fergus appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to provoking a breach of the peace and causing criminal damage at the Monk’s Well Pub in Quin on March 3 (2012).

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage arising out of an incident at Kilnasoolagh Park on May 8 (2011).

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that Mr Wilkie had been drinking with friends in the Monk’s Well when a dispute broke out in the smoking area of the pub. He said the accused was intoxicated and became involved in a row.

The Gardaí were called after a window was broken, the court heard.

Insp Kennedy said an ambulance was also called as Mr Wilkie had cut his hand. He said the accused refused to leave with the ambulance and was subsequently detained in a garda car.

Insp Kennedy told the court that Mr Wilkie broke a door panel of a house in Kilnasoolagh Park using a pitchfork between 5pm and 6pm on May 8 (2011).

He said there had been issue between Mr Wilkie and the occupier of the house prior to the incident.

He added, “Mr Wilkie got possession of a pitchfork and took revenge on the door.”

Referring to the incident in Newmarket on Fergus, solicitor Thomas Kiely said there had been a row between his client and his then partner.

He said Mr Wilkie had been intoxicated on the day and had since paid 150 euros compensation for the damage.

In relation to the incident at the Monk’s Well, Mr Kiely said his client had taken a number of tablets along with alcohol. He said Mr Wilkie was sorry for the inconvenience he had caused to staff, gardaí and ambulance personnel.

Mr Kiely said his client wished to pay compensation.

The court heard that the accused has 21 previous convictions.

Judge Patrick Durcan said Mr Wilkie had “created mayhem” in the Monk’s Well and had abused gardaí and wasted the time of the State.

He continued; “All of the organs of the State were called to deal with this drunken bowsy on the date in question.”

He imposed prison sentences totaling six months and fined Mr Wilkie 200 euros.

Recogances were fixed in the event of appeals.

Judge Durcan added; “The day is gone when people can wander around the county of Clare with pitchforks, going into pubs tanked up and putting their elbow through windows.”

A GROUP of councillors in Ennis are expected to recommend to unions that all teachers receive suicide awareness training. It comes after the Mayor of Ennis said plans to roll out the SAFETALK programme had received the backing of the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn. Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said Mr Quinn had told councillors to present their proposal to teachers’ unions during his visit to Ennis on Friday. “We would like to get support for it. The minister seemed to think it was a good idea,” added Cllr Guilfoyle. The issue of suicide awareness was raised at the June meeting of Ennis Town Council. Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) called on the council to request that the minister provide the SAFETALK programme to all teachers and school personnel in primary and secondary schools in Clare and throughout the State. Cllr O’Shea told the meeting that there is solid evidence that indicates that there is a higher risk of suicide during times of economic hardship. He said it would take 12 days to deliver training to teachers in all 135 primary and secondary schools in Clare. Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that anyone going through a period of suicidal thoughts does so for 72 hours. He explained that a support group was available at Ennis General Hospital for people experiencing suicidal thoughts. Cllr Mary Howard (FG) told the meeting that she believed that anyone dealing with the public should take suicide awareness training. She told the meeting that she supported greater rollout of the SAFETALK programme. She added, “As a community, we can deal with it if step up to the plate.” Cllr Guilfoyle said the high incidence of suicide in Ireland is frightening. Tue12June12

A Judge has accepted jurisdiction of a case where a woman is alleged to have made a series of emergency calls to Ennis Garda Station.

Rachel Fogarty (21) with an address at Boher Road, Emly, Tippperary is charged with sending by means of a telecommunications systems, a message for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another.

It is alleged that the offence took place on August 30 (2011) at a place unknown in the district area of Ennis District No. 12.

Ms Fogarty is charged under the postal and telecommunications act.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed summary disposal of the case. He said it would be alleged that between 4.24am and 5.44am on the date in question, Ennis Garda Station received a total of eight 999 emergency calls.

Insp Kennedy said the gardaí were requested to attend a house in Hermitage though it was not clear why they were directed to do so.

He said gardaí discovered that the calls were allegedly made by Ms Fogarty.

Judge Patrick Durcan accepted jurisdiction. The case was adjounred until June 13.

A MAN has appeared in court charged with an offence under the child trafficking and pornography act.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

It is alleged that the man, a Pakistani national, did travel with the intention of meeting up with a child, having met up with and communicated with that child on two or more previous occasions with the intent of doing an act that would constitute sexual exploitation of that child, contrary to the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act.

The offence is alleged to have occurred in an area of Clare last July.

Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. The court heard that the 30year-old man replied “no” to charge after caution. Judge Patrick Durcan refused an application for bail.

He imposed reporting restrictions. Judge Durcan ordered the neither the names of the child or the accused be published.

He also ordered that the location of the alleged offence not be disclosed.

The man was remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on June 13.

A MAN who allegedly threatened to kill a dentist in Ennis last month is to be sent forward for trial.

Eoin Hannan (39) with an address at 14 Kilrush Road, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

It is alleged that on May 10 (2012) at Merchant’s Square, Ennis Mr Hannan did without lawful excuse make a threat intending that a person believed their property would be damaged. Mr Hannan is also charged with allegedly making a threat to kill or cause harm to another man by means intending the other to believe it will be carried out, at Merchant’s Square on May 11 (2012).

Inspector Tom Kennedy said both charges would be proceeding on indictment.

He told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed trial on indictment.

Judge Patrick Durcan remanded the accused on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on July 4 for service of the book of evidence.

A 42-YEAR-OLD woman has appeared in court charged with assault causing harm to another woman near Ennis earlier this year.

Rose Joyce, with an address at 55 Abbeyville, Limerick Road, Ennis, is charged in relation to an incident at St Anthony’s Grove, Kildysart Road on April 6 (2012). Inspector Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court on Wednesday that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the matter.

He said it would be alleged that Ms Joyce went to St Anthony’s Grove to meet another woman. He said this woman was later found bleeding heavily from the head after an alleged assault.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he “reluctantly” accepted jurisdiction of the case. Ms Joyce was granted bail subject to a number of conditions. She was ordered to have no contact with the alleged injured party and to stay away from a certain named location. Another person, Brian Joyce (18), with an address at 55 Abbeyville, Limerick Road, Ennis, is charged with assault arising out of the same incident. He was granted bail subject to the same conditions.

Both accused were remanded on continuing bail until July 4.